Coupler



May 8, 1934- w. F. RICHARDS 1,958,316

COUPLER Filed Oct. 8, 1928 l I; /5 f I I.. 4

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10 Claims.

This invention relates to couplers and more particularly to a drawbar having a plurality of couplers of diiierent types pivoted thereto for vertical swinging, so that any one of said couplers may be held in operative position as desired.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a drawbar with an automatic coupler and a hook type coupler pivoted thereto for vertical swinging, whereby either coupler may be supported in operative position where it will not be interfered with by the other coupler so that said arrangement may be used on railroads during a transition period, where hook type couplers are being replaced by automatic couplers.

Another object of my invention is the provision of draft rigging comprising a drawbar with an automatic and a hook type coupler pivoted thereto, said hook type coupler being partially received in the stem of the automatic coupler, means being provided for holding the automatic coupler in either operative or inoperative position, said means when the automatic coupler is in operative position also holding the hook type coupler out of operative position.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a drawbar with an automatic coupler and a hook type coupler connected thereto by a common pivot pin or bolt permitting vertical movement of said couplers, said drawbar being provided with a sloping wall underlying the shank of the hook type coupler for holding it in operative position, said automatic coupler being held in such position as desired by a retaining pin adapted to pass through corresponding apertures in the automatic coupler shank and the drawbar, said pin when holding the automatic coupler in position for operation also holding the hook type coupler out of position for operation and being removable and reinsertable to hold said automatic coupler in depending position while permitting the hook type coupler to drop to operative position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a plan of a drawbar with an automatic coupler and a hook type coupler pivoted thereto for vertical movement to operative or 'inoperative positions.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the drawbar and couplers shown in Figure 1, the automatic coupler 55 being shown in operative position, and the hook type coupler being illustrated in inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the drawbar shown in Figure 2 with the automatic coupler fragmentarily illustrated in depending or inoperative position and the hook type coupler being shown in operative position.

Referring to the drawing in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, there is shown a drawbar l adapted for conneca5 tion with draft rigging in any desired manner and pivoted adjacent the front end of said drawbar 1s an automatic coupler 2 and a coupler of another type such as a hook type coupler 3. The purpose of this arrangement is to devise a combination coupler particularly adapted for use on Brazilian railways or other railways where the hook or other primitive form of coupler is being replaced by the automatic coupler, whereby either one or the other type of couplers may be presented for coupling with an adjacent piece of rolling stock, whether it is provided with automatic couplers or hook type couplers.

The automatic coupler 2 preferably has a bifuroated shank 4, the portions of which embrace the forward part 5 of the drawbar 1 and are pivoted thereto by means of a pin or bolt 6 passing through registering apertures in the portions 4 of the automatic coupler and said drawbar 1. The drawbar is preferably formed at its forward portion with spaced webs or flanges 7 connected by a sloping wall or web 8 and receiving therebetween the stem or shank 9 of the hook or primitive type of coupler 3. Said shank being preferably pivoted to the drawbar by the same bolt or pin 6, which pivots the automatic coupler thereto. The flanges or webs '7 are also preferably upwardly extended as indicated at 10 and joined by a transverse web 11 forming a horn or lug 12 adjacent to which the point 18 of the hook 95 coupler 3 is disposed when in inoperative position.

From a consideration of Figures l and 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that the automatic coupler 2 is held in elevated or operative position by means of a retainer pin 13 when said pin extends through the outermost apertures 14 in the drawbar l and the apertures 15 in the shank or stem of the coupler 2. Said pin, if desired, may be connected to the drawbar, as by the bolt 6 therethrough, employing a chain or other con- 105 necting means 16 with its opposite ends connected to the pin and bolt, respectively, to prevent loss of said pin when removed from the apertures 14 and 15. The other end of the pin may be formed with a pivoted portion 1'7 serving 110 as a latch to prevent undesired removal or loss, as will be understood. When the pin or retainer 13 is positioned, as illustrated in Figures land 2, it will be seen that not only is the automatic coupler 2 held in operative or raised position, but the hook type coupler is also raised by engagement with an intermediate portion of said pin, so that the point 18 thereof is moved close to the horn 12 of the shank so as not to interfere with the use of the automatic coupler, and to substantially bridge the space between the horn 12 and the top or horn of the automatic coupler 2.

When the pin 13 is removed, the automatic coupier 2 will drop to the position illustrated in Figure 3, and the pin may thenbe reinserted in the apertures l5 in the coupler shank and other apertures 19 in the drawbar 1, whereby said coupler is held in depending or vertical poistion out of the way of the hook coupler, which is permitted to drop to the position illustrated in Figure 3, where it is supported on the inclined shelf or web 8 of the drawbar in a position where it may be conveniently used.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have invented a combination coupler device involving a drawbar with an automatic coupler, and preferably a hook type coupler pivoted thereto, so that either of said couplers may be held in operative position while the other coupler at the same time is held in inoperative position. A retaining pin is preferably provided for holding the automatic coupler in either horizontal operative position or vertical inoperative position, and when the automatic coupler is in the former position, the hook type coupler is held in inoperative position. When the automatic coupler is permitted to drop to inoperative position, the hook type coupler drops a slight amount until it rests on a supporting web where it is securely held in operative position and not interfered with by the automatic coupler. Although I have shown the drawbar or shank of the arrangement as of the form generally adapted for freight service, that is relatively short back of the horn 12, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to this showing, as if desired, a relatively long shank or drawbar may be used to adapt the arrangement for passenger service.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

l. In combination with a drawbar, an automatic coupler pivoted thereto for swinging vertically, another type kof coupler pivoted to swing vertically and partially received in the shank of said automatic coupler, and means for retaining said automatic coupler in operative or inoperative position, said retaining means when supporting the automatic coupler in operative position, also directly supporting the other coupler in inoperative position.

2. In combination with a drawbar, an automatic coupler pivoted for vertical swinging, a hook type coupler pivoted for vertical swinging and partially received in the shank of said automatic coupler, and means for retaining said automatic coupler in operative or inoperative position, said retaining means, when supporting the automatic coupler in operative position also directly supporting the hook coupler in inoperative position.

3. In combination with a drawbar, an automatic coupler, a hook type coupler, a pin extending through said drawbar and the shanks of both couplers for pivotally connecting them together and permitting vertical swinging of the couplers, the shank of said hook type coupler being embraced between rearwardly extending portions of the shank of the automatic coupler, a pin insertable through corresponding apertures in the drawbar and automatic coupler shank for holding the coupler in operative position, said pin also holding the hook type coupler in inoperative position, and being removable for permitting the automatic coupler to drop to inoperative position and the hook type coupler to drop to operative position.

4. In combination with a drawbar, an automatic coupler pivoted thereto for vertical swinging, a hook type coupler pivoted thereto for vertical swinging, a retaining pin passing through corresponding apertures in the shank of the automatic coupler and said drawbar for holding said coupler elevated in position for operation, and the hook type coupler above normal operative position, said pin being removable and insertable through another aperture in said drawbar for holding said automatic coupler in a depending position and permitting the hook type coupler to drop to operative position.

5. In combination with a drawbar, an automatic coupler, and a hook type coupler pivoted to swing vertically with respect thereto, said automatic coupler having a bifurcated shank rearwardly extending and embracing the forward portion of the drawbar, said hook coupler being partially received in a pocket in said forward portion of the drawbar, said automatic coupler being held in operative position, and the hook type coupler in inoperative position, by a removable pin passing through registering apertures in the bifurcated shank and corresponding apertures in the drawbar, said hook coupler being supported in operative position by a portion of the drawbar provided with an inclined ledge underlying the shank thereof and an aperture for receiving said removable pin to hold the automatic coupler in inoperative position.

6. In combination with a drawbar, a railway vehicle coupler pivoted thereto for vertical swinging, another type of coupler pivoted for vertical swinging, the shank of the rst-mentioned coupler being bifurcated to partially receive the other coupler, and means for retaining said first-mentioned coupler in operative or inoperative position, said retaining means, when supporting said coupler in operative position also supporting the other coupler in inoperative position.

7. In combination with a drawbar, a railway Vehicle coupler pivoted thereto for vertical swinging, a coupler of another type pivoted thereto for vertical swinging, and a retaining pin passing through corresponding apertures in the shank of the iirst-mentioned coupler and said drawbar for holding said coupler in operative position, said pin at the same time holding the other coupler in a position above that adapted for operation, said drawbar having a depending apertured portion, and said pin being removable and insertable through the aperture in the coupler shank and the aperture in said depending portion for holding said coupler in an inoperative position and permitting the other coupler to drop to operative position and engage and be supported by said depending portion.

8. In combination with a drawbar, an automatic coupler and a hook type coupler, common means passing through said couplers and drawbar for pivoting the former to swing vertically with respect to the latter, said automatic coupler having a rearwardly opening pocket partly receiving said hook coupler, said automatic coupler being normally held in operative position, and the hook type coupler in inoperative position, by a removable pin passing through registering apertures into the automatic coupler shank and drawbar, said drawbar being provided with a supporting portion depending therefrom, said portion performing the double function of underlying the shank of the hook type coupler for supporting it in operative position and simultaneously receiving the removable pin and holding the automat ic coupler in inoperative position.

9. In combination with a drawbar, an automatic coupler, and a hook type coupler pivoted to swing vertically independently of one another, said hook type coupler being received in a pocket adjacent the front end of said drawbar and normally supported in operative position on an inclined lower wall thereof, said automatic coupler being formed with a bifurcated shank embracing the front end of said drawbar and said hook type coupler, and means alternately supportable in a plurality of positions to either hold said automatic coupler in horizontal operative position with the hook type coupler simultaneously raised to inoperative position, or to hold said automatic coupler in vertical inoperative position with the hook type coupler simultaneously allowed to drop to operative position.

10. In combination with a drawbar with a forwardly and downwardly inclined ledge adjacent its front end, a coupler connected to said drawbar by generally horizontal pivot means extending through both, extending therebeyond, supported in operative position on said inclined ledge, and adapted to be raised to and support in noperative position above said ledge.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS. 

